LIVERPOOL'S identity should be the focus of its Capital of Culture year, previous holders of the title warned last night.

Its culture leaders must avoid organising a carbon copy of the events held by other European cities, they advised.

The six directors of previous years of culture from throughout Europe were visiting Liverpool yesterday to share their expert advice. Between them, they masterminded the programmes for Stockholm, Helsinki, Graz, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Antwerp and Rotterdam.

Trevor Davies, director of Copenhagen's year in 1996, said: "The programme for 2008 has to be very Liverpudlian.

"It has to stand out from what is happening everywhere else and be obviously from Liverpool and the local people."

Robert Palmer, who directed both Glasgow's year in 1990 and the Brussels celebration a decade later, said Liverpool's biggest mistake would be to ignore the city's troubles.

He said: "The story of a city's transformation is one that has not been told.

"Liverpool should not forget, or try to hide its problems of the past because they are the same ones that other European cities are now having to deal with and they could learn from Liverpool's experiences." The visitors are taking part in three days of talks with Liverpool's culture team to explain how they put together their artistic programmes and to share their successes and pitfalls.

They took part in a question and answer session with the Liverpool Culture Company stakeholders - the community and arts organisations and individuals which backed the city's winning bid.

Sir Bob Scott, Liverpool's bid leader, said: "To have so many people with so many skills and experience of hosting Capital of Culture celebrations is unique.

"Never before has such a skill-sharing and fact-finding event been staged We can learn a lot from them. We will be outlining our preliminary plans for the run up to 2008 and for the year itself. Their advice and guidance will be invaluable. "

David Henshaw, Liverpool City Council chief executive, said: "The massive economic boost that Capital of Culture

will bring to the city was one of the main reasons why Liverpool won the bid.

"I will be interested to hear from other cities how they maximised the number of jobs, the investment and economic benefits."

Involve people so it means something to everyone

GEORG Dolivo, director of Helsinki's City of Culture year in 2000 "WE ARE still carrying out research to find out the long term benefits of the City of Culture year but one thing we found was that people's concept of what culture is expanded.

"The definition had extended because people realised that culture should not be a luxury but should be available to everyone.

"The most important thing is to involve the local people in the year so that it will mean much more to them. "Liverpool's year as Capi-tal of Culture must be specifically Liverpool. Culture is about what is local."

Trevor Davies, director of Copenhagen's City of Culture year in 1996 "IT'S about being open and honest and getting people to work together.

"In many cities that does not happen because everyone is trying to help themselves and make sure they get a piece of the cake.

"We had one of the biggest City of Culture years with £100m for the events programme and £150m for infrastructure and we found there is a massive amount of change which can happen to your city through holding the title.

"It is important to make sure the community is involved properly and not just through a handful of community arts projects."

Robert Palmer, director in Glasgow in 1990 and Brussels in 2000 "IT WAS amazing to work in two different Cities of Culture and have two very different experiences.

"The biggest mistake Liverpool could make is to be ashamed of its past and hide what it really is.

"Liverpool's Capital of Culture year should show a city that has moved through hard times.

"It should teach the importance of tolerance."

Michel Uytterhoeven, coordinator for the performing arts in Antwerp 1993 "THERE are no formulas for the perfect year of culture. We have lived the experience but we cannot tell Liverpool how to do it.

"You have to go through the process yourself and getting there will be very interesting.

"It's important to convince local communities and institutions to work on it and make it a project which will stand out and is accessible to everything.

"The main message is to make the year an experience that is interesting and relevant to this particular city."